Encroach

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈkroʊtʃ/

Definitions of encroach

verb to intrude on someone's territory or rights

Example Sentences

A1 The tree branches encroach on the roof of the house.

A2 The neighbor's fence is starting to encroach on our property.

B1 The new housing development is encroaching on the natural habitat of the local wildlife.

B2 The company's expansion plans are encroaching on the rights of the local community.

C1 The government's new policies are encroaching on individual freedoms.

C2 The corporation's unethical practices are encroaching on the integrity of the industry.

Examples of encroach in a Sentence

formal The new construction project will encroach upon the protected wetlands.

informal Hey, could you please not encroach on my personal space?

slang Dude, don't encroach on my turf like that!

figurative His negative attitude began to encroach on the team's morale.

Grammatical Forms of encroach

• past tense: encroached
• plural: encroaches
• comparative: more encroaching
• superlative: most encroaching
• present tense: encroach
• future tense: will encroach
• perfect tense: has encroached
• continuous tense: is encroaching
• singular: encroacher
• positive degree: encroaching
• infinitive: to encroach
• gerund: encroaching
• participle: encroaching

Origin and Evolution of encroach

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Old French

Story behind the word: The word 'encroach' originated from the Old French word 'encrochier' which means 'to seize', derived from the Latin word 'incroccare' meaning 'to hook'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in a literal sense of seizing or hooking onto something, the word 'encroach' evolved over time to also mean intruding or trespassing on someone else's rights or territory.